The British expeditionary force and communications on the western front 1914-1918

Hall, B

Abstract

Due to the nature of trench warfare and the unprecedented human cost, issues of command
and control in the British Expeditionary Force (BEF) during the First World War have been
the subject of controversy and debate ever since the war ended. Although the historiography
has developed considerably in recent years, the role and impact of communications has
failed to attract serious scholarly attention. What little has been written on the subject has
been limited in terms of its focus, methodology and use of sources. This thesis will attempt
to fill this gap in British military history by examining the organisational, doctrinal and
technological components that constituted the BEF's communications system. Based on
sustained archival research within the United Kingdom and the United States, it utilises both
a thematic and case study approach in order to trace the development of the BEF's
communications system and assess its impact upon British military operations on the
Western Front between 1914 and 1918. In the context of recent research on the 'learning
curve' and the Revolution in Military Affairs (RMA), this thesis aims to shed new light on a
neglected, albeit crucial, component of the BEF's machinery for command and control, thus
contributing to a greater understanding of the conduct of British military operations during
the First World War.

Citation

Hall, B. The British expeditionary force and communications on the western front 1914-1918. (Thesis). Salford : University of Salford

• Thesis Type: Thesis
• Deposit Date: Oct 3, 2012
• Award Date: Jan 1, 2009